The Department of Health (DOH) has called on the governors and local chief executives in Mindanao to participate in the second round of the “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” on November 25 to December 6, 2019.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a press briefing here on Tuesday the call for action aims to ensure that the children are protected from the virus.

Duque said local officials must help ensure an effective response at all levels.

“They should participate and spearhead polio planning or review meetings and ask the regular local health authorities for regular reports,” he said.

DOH aims to vaccinate about three million children 5-years-old and below in the second round of the Mindanao-wide massive polio vaccination.

For the first round of the “Sabayang Patak Kontra Poli’ on October 14-27, the DOH reported about 96 percent coverage of children 0-59 months old.

The first round was done only in identified areas such as Lanao del Sur, Marawi City, Davao del Sur, and Davao City.

“We are elated over this high turn-out of parents and caregivers who had their young children immunized against polio. This means that the majority of them have overcome their distrust of our vaccines and this augurs well for our other immunization programs,” Duque said.

In Davao del Sur, a total of 66,777 (92 percent) children 0-59 months old in 10 cities and municipalities were given the oral polio vaccine (OPV).

The municipality of Santa Cruz had the highest (10,667 or 102 percent) coverage reported.

In Davao City, a total of 188,675 (101 percent) children 0-59 months old were given OPV while Lanao del Sur reported a total of 143,164 (85 percent) children 0-59 months old in 40 cities and municipalities were vaccinated.

“Let us sustain this success throughout the succeeding rounds of vaccination, to stop the spread of the disease, and to make the country polio-free,” Duque said.

The Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio third round is on Jan. 6, 2020. (PNA)